This invention relates to barbecue grills which can operate with maximum fuel efficiency. More particularly, this invention relates to an automatic damper control for a barbecue grill which can efficiently control the amount of air entering the grill for combustion purposes as well as an insulated housing for the grill to be used in conjunction therewith.
In U.S. Pat. No. 3,025,848 a manually operated damper is illustrated for a barbecue grill. In U.S. Pat. Nos. 2,797,874; 3,228,605; 3,510,059; 4,114,805; 4,146,048 and 4,191,326 thermally actuated dampers are described for use in conjunction with furnaces with bimetallic devices being employed.
An insulated barbecue grill is described in U.S. Pat. No. 3,306,280 as well as U.S. Pat. Nos. 3,266,478; 3,433,211 and 3,380,444. U.S. Pat. Nos. 3,286,620; 3,561,348; 4,201,125 and 4,203,427. All illustrate insulative materials in combination with various types of cooking units.
None of the prior art patents provide a thermally actuated vent for a barbecue grill which will provide only the required amount of outside air for combustion purposes as well as one which is insulated with the automatic air control. The prior art is either concerned with automatic flue dampers for furnaces or with insulated grills by themselves.
It is an advantage of the present invention to provide a barbecue grill unit which can operate with maximum fuel efficiency. Other advantages are a barbecue grill with an automatic damper control; an insulated housing for the grill unit with the automatic damper control; and a grill unit which is safe to use in preventing burns to the operator by affording a cool exterior surface during operation due to a colored porcelain insulated inner liner while permitting easy cleanability; and substantially reduces gas outage when the burner is set at a low rate.